New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo really let that Emmy go to his head. The Democrat has spent the better part of the year blaming others for the high fatality rate in New York during the pandemic. At no point has he suggested that maybe he could have done a better job as leader. And now that a vaccine is finally being distributed across the state, instead of helping and encouraging hospitals, the governor is sending them warnings.
In his press conference on Monday, Cuomo presented a slide of state hospitals and separated them into two categories: The hospitals who have used their vaccine allocations the "fastest," and those who have used their allocations the "slowest."
"Use it or lose it," Cuomo threatened those hospitals in the "slowest" category. He announced that facilities that don't distribute their vaccines by the end of the week won't receive further vaccines and will be fined.
"We need them to administer the vaccines faster...This is a very serious public health issue."
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 4, 2021
New York Gov. Cuomo says hospitals can face fines of up to $100,000 if they do not use all their COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the week. https://t.co/BtnpMkREUc pic.twitter.com/bqsqOuJOH9
Both Democrats and Republicans scoffed at Cuomo's latest threat.
"Disingenuous at best," 2018 New York gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro said. "Stop overcomplicating the process, rely on public health departments and their tested mass vaccination plans. NYS should immediately get vaccines into the hand of community healthcare providers and expand the role of pharmacies."
Cuomo also directed a few warnings toward his fellow New York leaders, saying that he "needs them to take personal responsibility for their hospitals." The office of Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has sparred with Cuomo on several occasions the past few years, clearly didn't appreciate the governor's tone toward them or the state's health care workers.
de Blasio and Cuomo have long had a difficult relationship. “Threatening to revoke the privilege of vaccination from the city’s public hospital system is punitive and unnecessary,” a spokeswoman for the mayor said. https://t.co/telNJet2LY
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 4, 2021
His former progressive gubernatorial challenger Cynthia Nixon weighed in as well.
Typical Cuomo: blaming others for his slow vaccine roll out https://t.co/SwdBV5iRJC
— Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) January 5, 2021
To read more about Cuomo's grandstanding during the pandemic, read Fox News senior meteorologist Janice Dean's recent op-ed, and the bullying she received from Cuomo's office for writing said op-ed.